LOVE UNDONE

Chelsea

Her eyes washed over. I shouldn't have but I let it happen. She wasn't mine to take. No she wasn't anyone's. She wasn't single either. I shouldn't have had a drink. She let me. It was wrong. Her lips on my felt like fireworks. We've been friends forever. It was bound to happen. I don't know what to say to her. We both couldn't look each other in the eyes. Maybe I should back up. It's been over a year and I still can't get this night out of my head. It was a blur. It happened so fast. The year that followed those events became a downward spiral.

:ONE YEAR AGO:
I am Tyler Lockland. That girl I kissed is Chelsea Karr. Popularity. That was her game. Senior year was the moment of truth for both of us. It was only the beginning of the year and she decided we were going to make it count. Chels was my best friend. She'd been seeing Sam Waters for the past three years at this point. She was always going to be my first friend. When I moved here. I was eleven. Even now I wasn't popular. I wasn't cool. I was misunderstood. I got into trouble all the time. She always got me out of it. She'd say "You're my adventure". We'd sneak out all the time. I was a terrible influence on her. We were a team though. I realized that night I'd fall for her.

The night I had to rescue her, we were at this party. She invited me. I didn't know anyone. I still don't. Now it's been eight years and still don't really know anyone. Chelsea she is something special. This party got a little crazy. I don't normally join in on the extra drinking maybe a few here and there but I never got into the games, the dancing, the people. Usually Axel or Kenzi would show up and while Chels was with Sam, I had someone to hang with.

I'm the guy with the leather jacket and a dark past. She accepted me. She took my hand and showed me the way. Axel became my second friend. He was worse off than I was. Senior for the sencond year in a row. Kenzi, his extremely strung out girlfriend was not helping his addiction as it is.

So I get to this party and I hang outside. The Quincy house is crowded. This is the first party of the year. Normally they weren't that out of control but tonight was an exception. Around the back of the house there was a pool. Most everyone was swimming or hanging by the water. There is this balcony upstairs around the back as well. I saw chelsea. There was Sam, standing behind her, holding her. I know watching was wrong but I wished I had what he had. I didn't think of Chels at first. I didn't want to think id end up alone. After a few drinks maybe Chels was in the back if my mind. She was perfect. She's always been there for me. I zoned out for a little bit. Things got crazy. I could could hear screaming but I couldn't see her anymore. I ran up as fast as I could. The entire party quieted down to hushed conversations. I pushed open the door. I couldn't believe what I had seen. Sam had her pinned down. He's about to do something stupid. I couldn't let it happen.

"GET THE FUCK OUT!" He yells at me.
Her cries are muffled by his hand. I watch him for a second our eyes meet.
"I SAID TO LEAVE!" He gets off of her. She takes this opportunity to get up and run behind me.

Sam grabs her arm pulling her into him. I couldn't hold back. I pulled back my fist and it shoots across his face. Sam collapses. His fair skinned stocky build hits the ground. He looks up and I see he's bleeding. Blood dripping from his nose onto his red letterman jacket, he pulls back a fist to take a hit. He misses and his fist his the wall. I pull back again. He's been drinking and his balance isn't steady. My fist makes contact again.

Chelsea pulls at me. I take her hand and we run down the stairs so fast Sam doesn't have a chance to catch up. Everyone watched in amazement. You could almost hear the whispers. We moved so fast it seemed like a daze. I get her out the door. We left in time. Just as we were heading down the street the cops pulled in. Sirens could be heard from blocks away. The blue and red lights flashed behind us. We made it out. They were busted. That's when I saw her in a different light.

I watched her run ahead of me. Her brown hair almost like silk, long and blew in the breeze. She spun around pulling my hand as she walked backwards. Her hands were soft against my rough skin. Her eyes were a soft brown almond shape. When she smiled it glowed. You could see the nose ring against her olive skin. This wasn't a real nose ring. It was the magnet kind. Anything to get under her father's skin. She was something else. Her dress was a summer kind. Floral. Chels' vans matched her personality, calm and secretive. They were a pastel baby blue. Watching her slender body move, I was mesmerized. The first day of the rest of my life and my perspective changed.

"Hurry, this way!" Tugging on my arm Chelsea's voice pulling me toward her.
I didn't know where we were going. I followed her.
"Close your eyes," She whispered to me, "almost there."
A few more feet. We stopped walking.
She took my hand, "Open them!"
"Wow Chels. This is... wow." The words didn't articulate the way I was feeling. The ledge overlooked the city. It was magnificent. There were stars behind us and lights flickering in front.
"Thank you." The words escaped her lips.
I brought her close to me, "You needed help. I'd never let anything happen to you."
Her eyes swelled up, "I have no clue where this came from. He's never tried to hurt me."

It was that moment I knew I'd mess everything up. My heart pumped faster than ever before. Maybe I had one too many drinks. I put my arms around her small frame. Her head came just below my chin. Her arms wrapped around until her hands sat on my back.
"Don't cry. I'm here." She pulled her head back to look at me.

I couldn't turn my face from her puppy brown eyes. Her eyes locked into my green stare. What seemed like slow motion moved quickly. Her lips touched mine. Gently gliding against me. Her breath was impossible not to be addicted to. We stood there for a moment locked. Sparks shook me. She overtook me. Her hands moved under my leather jacket. She didn't stop. I didn't stop. For what seemed like minutes began to speed back up. Suddenly she pulled herself away. The look in her eyes seemed as though she did something wrong.
"I... I can't.... I need to go." She turned away from me and took off.

I began running to catch up, but it was no use. She moved so fast. She was after all a cross country runner. I stopped, panting. There was no way I'd catch up to her now. I had to let her go. Throwing my hands behind my head, I didn't know what to say. She lived down my street. No she lived next to me. Our windows neighboring each other, I didn't know what would happen now. I didn't know this could be our outcome. What kind of guy let's something special go? Me. I was the guy that let her go.

"Aaaaaaahhhhrrrrgggg!" Letting out every feeling. I didn't know what to do. I kicked my torn black converse against the stop sign by the street. It hurt but I didnt care. The sign vibrated a little. My hands against my jeans began to feel cold. The world was spinning and my stomach was turning. I felt like I messed everything up in one full swoop.

Suddenly my phone ringing I was upset already, I didn't want to deal with it. "What!?" The voice started yelling at me.
"I'll be home soon... No I wasn't. I needed air. Okay! I'm coming home." I shoved my phone in my pocket.

That moment I realized I may have lost my one true friend forever. It was like she was scared of me. She meant more to me than anything. I knew more about her than anyone ever did. I still felt like I screwed it all up. I did. I just knew I had. She wouldn't be able to look at me the same ever again.

The night was nearing 1 a.m and I had to head home. I walked slowly. My mind wandering. I hoped this wasn't the end of us. The Friday night gave the weekend less purpose. I didn't want to know what would happen but I thought I knew. The first party of the year and it was all kinds of fucked up. The next eight months of school would be hell. I just hope it wasn't the end.

My dad left the front porch light on. It was 2 a.m. and I knew he wasn't home. I rushed into my room locking my door. Her light hadn't turned on yet. I waited an hour. Still no light. My eyes grew heavy waiting. The light turned dark. They closed. Darkness engolfing me. I was floating in in a dense dream. Sleep overtaking me.